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Protoss Civil War (Episode III)
|prev=Invasion of Aiur |conc=The Great War |next=Battle of the First Overmind |conflict=Great War |campaign=The Fall |image=ZealotDragoon SC-Sacrifice Comic1.jpg |imgsize=250px |imgdesc= |date=June 2500 |place=Aiur |result= |battles= |side1= Tassadar's Followers Raynor's Raiders Dark templar warband |side2= Conclave |side3= Zerg Swarm |commanders1= Tassadar Commander Jim Raynor Executor Artanis Praetor Fenix Prelate Zeratul |commanders2= Conclave Judicator Aldaris |commanders3= Overmind Senior Cerebrate Daggoth Cerebrate Araq Cerebrate Gorn Several other cerebrates |commanders4= |forces1= Fleet of the Executor Zeratul's Warband |forces2=Vanguard of Aiur : Ara Tribe : Furinax Tribe : Auriga Tribe |forces3=Zerg broods :Tiamat Brood :Jormungand Brood :Grendel Brood :Baelrog Brood |forces4= |casual1= |casual2=Moderate |casual3=Light |casual4= }} The Protoss Civil War was a major conflict fought between Tassadar's allies and the protoss Conclave. History Origins of the War The origin of the conflict can be traced to the zerg invasion of the terran worlds. Tassadar, protoss executor of his famed Expeditionary Fleet, refused to destroy these worlds, attempting to save the terrans instead of killing them, as the Conclave ordered. After his defeat on Tarsonis, Tassadar was ordered to return to Aiur. However, he felt a powerful psionic call emanating from a remote ash world, Char. There he encountered a Dark Templar force under the command of Prelate Zeratul.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Into the Flames (in English). 1998. Unfortunately, the Zerg Swarm and a Terran Dominion Alpha Squadron detachment were at the planet as well. After some battles against the Dominion and the zerg's new warrior, the Queen of Blades, and some alliances with the Zeratul and the terran Jim Raynor,Rosenberg, Aaron (June 1, 2006). StarCraft: Queen of Blades. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7133-4. his forces were finally crushed by the Kerrigan's elite brood,StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Eye for an Eye (in English). 1998. leaving Tassadar and Raynor trapped on a space platform,StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Hunt for Tassadar (in English). 1998. and the Dark Templar Prelate was trapped in an old terran underground installation.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Into the Darkness (in English). 1998. Then, most of the zerg traveled to Aiur to conquer it, leaving behind only a few forces under to command of Sarah Kerrigan. The Weakness of the Zerg In an attempt to assist in the battle against the zerg on Aiur, Tassadar contacted Judicator Aldaris and told him about the cerebrates, an important part of the zerg hierarchy. The Judicator sent the new executor, Artanis, to deal with the Baelrog cerebrate, Gorn. However, while the attack against the Brood was successful, the Cerebrate came back to life. Poor protoss strategy later resulted in the loss of Praetor Fenix.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Higher Ground (in English). 1998. The Conclave, now considering Tassadar as a traitor to the protoss race, sent a force to Char in order to arrest him, but the plot went awry when Tassadar convinced the Executor to join him and rescue Zeratul and his Dark Templar from zerg captivity.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Choosing Sides (in English). 1998. The War Erupts :Main article: Battle of the Heart of the Conclave A civil war erupted when Tassadar brought the Dark Templar, the very warriors who could destroy the cerebrates, to Aiur. The Vanguard of Aiur, led by the Conclave, attacked Tassadar's forces attempting to arrest him and Artanis. However, the protoss rebels managed to break through the Conclave defenses and destroy the Heart of the Conclave. Many members of the Conclave died in this battle,Golden, Christie (June 30, 2009). StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #3: Twilight. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0-7434-7129-9. thus starting the beginning of the end of the protoss government. However, Tassadar surrendered himself to the Conclave's forces, as he couldn't stand seeing his own brethren slaughtering each other. Then Judicator Aldaris appeared and arrested the renegade.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Homeland (in English). 1998. The End of the War :Main aticle: The Liberation of Tassadar Zeratul and the other Dark Templar vanished after Tassadar's capture, leaving Fenix to lead the fight. Tassadar was put into stasis by the Conclave during his trial. Fenix feared that the Conclave would execute Tassadar after his trial and so planned a rescue. Jim Raynor, commanding the Hyperion, joined the rescue in order to pay back Tassadar for rescuing him on Char. The trial site was defended by Ara Tribe and Furinax Tribe forces, but Fenix and Raynor prevailed, rescuing Tassadar. Immediately thereafter, Aldaris appeared with a small fleet, intending to interrupt the rescue, but they were in turn ambushed by Zeratul and his Dark Templar. They exchanged angry rhetoric, but ultimately Tassadar and his followers went free.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Trial of Tassadar (in English). 1998. Tassadar later thanked Fenix, Zeratul and Raynor for securing his release. Their forces were now accompanied by a Judicator-crewed Arbiter in their next battle, which involved slaying Gorn and another cerebrate.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Shadow Hunters (in English). 1998. Observing this action, the Conclave admitted they were wrong to Tassadar and his dissidents as they prepared to face the Overmind, vindicating one of Tassadar's main reasons for bringing the Dark Templar back to Aiur.StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Eye of the Storm (in English). 1998. References Category:Great War battles